The Arizona Wildcats lost all but one starter from last season and haven’t faced a single opponent yet.
That’s a situation that usually calls for a close inspection of exhibition games, the first of which UA will play Monday against Division II Eastern New Mexico, to see how the starters and rotation players will start sorting out.
But this time there isn’t much guesswork left, except over where guard Conrad Martinez and forward Henri Veesaar might fit in.
On the perimeter, it’s pretty clear that returning all-American Caleb Love will be joined in the Wildcats’ starting lineup by two returnees who proved valuable in reserve last season, Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis. Aussie wing Anthony Dell’Orso is expected to bring shooting punch off the bench, and five-star freshman Carter Bryant has versatile skills that can soak up minutes at multiple spots.
Arizona guard Conrad Martinez (55) pressures teammate Jaden Bradley (0) who’s looking for the basket in the UA men’s basketball program’s annual Red-Blue Showcase on Oct. 4 in McKale Center.
Up front, Motiejus Krivas showed so much promise as a backup center last season that the Wildcats didn’t really sweat it when all-conference center Oumar Ballo left for Indiana – though Krivas has been largely out this preseason with an ankle injury — while Oakland transfer Trey Townsend was recruited to fill the vacated power forward spot left by Keshad Johnson.
In addition, Tennessee transfer Tobe Awaka was brings experience and toughness inside, valuable attributes for the Wildcats’ journey ahead in the Big 12.
That’s eight guys likely to play a lot, usually the standard limit to UA coach Tommy Lloyd’s rotation.
Veesaar
In his preseason interview at UA last month, Lloyd said he was looking for Veesaar to play an impact role while noting that Martinez will “definitely be able to provide a spark for us” without having to feel pressure to necessarily be the only backup point guard. Lloyd also has the option of sliding Love or Lewis over to the point when Bradley is out.
UA’s two exhibition games offer both players a chance to prove worthy of the rotation, or at least solidify themselves for spot minutes in certain situations, after spending most of last season behind the closed doors of practices.
Martinez was a little-used freshman guard last season, stuck behind Bradley and starter Kylan Boswell at point guard, averaging just 3.6 minutes in 19 games that were usually not competitive.
Arizona forward Henri Veesaar (13) tracks down guard Addison Arnold (2) during a UA men's basketball preseason practice inside Richard Jefferson Gymnasium in Tucson on Oct. 11.
Veesaar hasn’t been seen publicly much since falling out of the rotation early in the 2022-23 Pac-12 season, sitting out last season with a dislocated elbow suffered in a preseason golf cart incident. But he returned to practices last January while continuing to redshirt, spent nearly the entire summer in Tucson working on his body and game, and has had an extended opportunity in the preseason without Krivas available.
A mobile and skilled shooter for his 7-foot size, Veesaar has the potential to play a stretch-four and, with or without Krivas, can play a role in the low post.
“When it comes to my role, that’s Tommy’s decision on how he wants to use us,” Veesaar said. “I can play both positions, wherever the team needs me. … we have gone over many scenarios in practice where I’ve taken reps at the five or at the four, on offense and defense.”
Struggling with the college game’s physicality as a freshman, when he was listed with just 200 pounds on his 7-foot frame, Veesaar jumped to 225 last year and is now listed at 235 after working behind the scenes late last season and after a summer of work with strength coach Chris Rounds.
“I think last year definitely helped me a lot,” Veesaar said. “Just to get stronger and I had extra time to get better, focusing on myself with what to do, lifting with Rounds, things like that helped.”
Martinez
While Veesaar said he spent most of the summer in Tucson, except for a brief break to go home to Estonia and play for its national team, Martinez spent a bigger chunk of time with his country’s basketball federation.
Playing a backup point guard role for Spain in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket event last July, Martinez averaged 3.3 points, 3.7 assists and 1.4 turnovers in seven games. Spain went 5-2 but finished seventh after losing 74-72 to eventual champion France in the quarterfinals, when Noah Penda threw in a contested 3-pointer at the buzzer.
“It’s a great experience to be able to represent your country,” Martinez said. “I think we should have played better, but it was good try to help the team as much as I can … against France, they made crazy 3s, so we cannot do much more.”
The summer work at home in Europe means Martinez and Veesaar have had significant experience with both college and FIBA basketball.
“European basketball is way different,” Martinez said. “European basketball is more tactical and (uses) concepts. American is much more physical.”
After a few days at home in Spain to visit with friends and family after EuroBasket ended in Poland last July, Martinez moved back to Tucson and flipped into American basketball mode. That went even for practices, where he’s going head-to-head with Bradley, Lewis and Love in his bid for playing time this season.
“All of them are great players, great guards, and it’s tough — but it’s good at the same time,” Martinez said. “Being able to compete against them every day is just an opportunity to get better.”
Bradley and Lewis indicated the same is true of facing Martinez. While Lewis said Martinez is a “maestro” offensively who improved dramatically over last season, Bradley said he’s a problem on the other end of the court.
“He’s a dog defensively,” Bradley said. “He’s smaller, so he’s gonna pressure you and his IQ and his vision is off the charts. I watch him and the passes he able to make. Now I’m trying to ask some questions and learn from him.”
On Monday, Martinez will have the added challenge of directing the Wildcats while coming off the bench, presumably cold but needing to warm up quickly.
“It’s different, not starting and playing off the bench,” Martinez said. “But you get used to it, try to get better and give quality minutes.
“Organizing the team, being a point guard, I think it’s the most important position and maybe the hardest one. But I just try to help the team as much as I can.”
